Hundreds of reviewers agree these cookies are the most delicious gluten-free chocolate chip cookies around! This tried-and-true recipe was originally published in 2018 and is still my #1 recipe today!
My top tips for exceptional gluten-free chocolate chip cookies – brown the butter, let the dough rest 30 minutes and use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend. Read on for all the tips!
The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
If you’ve been searching for the BEST gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe – look no further! I’ve been eating 100% gluten-free for almost 10 years now and THIS is the chocolate chip cookie recipe of my dreams.
I’ve tweaked this recipe and tested it many times over the years and this recipe is the ultimate best. No more tweaking or re-testing needed.
These cookies are soft, chewy and golden like a good chocolate chip cookie should be. If you’ve tried making gluten-free chocolate chip cookies before you probably know they can turn out dry, grainy and pale.
This recipe has a few tricks so you get golden, non-grainy cookies with a delicious depth of flavor and crisp edges every time.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Rated 5-stars by hundreds of reviewers
- Easy-to-make – no mixer required!
- Soft and chewy
- AMAZING flavor
- Undetectably gluten-free
VIDEO: Watch how to make them!
Table of Contents
- The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- VIDEO: Watch how to make them!
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Weighing Gluten-Free Flour
- How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Science Behind the Recipe – Why it Works!
- Storage/Freezer Instructions
- Recipe FAQs
- In Summary…
- MORE GLUTEN-FREE COOKIE RECIPES
- The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
- Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Baking Flour: For best results, use a high quality gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour is my favorite gluten-free flour. I’ve also had good results with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Almond Flour: I like using a little almond flour because it gives the cookies richness and helps them to bake up golden brown. It’s my secret ingredient in many gluten-free baked goods! If you’re allergic to nuts you can leave out the almond flour and substitute more gluten-free baking flour.
- Butter: Browning the butter is the secret step to AMAZING gluten-free cookies! Sometimes gluten-free cookies can lack a depth of flavor. Brown butter gives these cookies a delectable nutty, toasty almost caramelized flavor that you can’t get from anything else.
- Chocolate Chips: Chocolate chips are usually naturally gluten-free! I’ve used the bag from Costco, Nestle and Enjoy Life all with great results.
Weighing Gluten-Free Flour
On my site I use 150 grams = 1 cup of gluten-free flour.
I recommend weighing gluten-free flour for results. I find that 1 cup of King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour weighs about 150 grams. The package says 120 grams, but I find it’s always more when I scoop it myself.
At the end of the day a cup measurement is subjective. I like to make my recipes so they will turn out for both people using cup measurements and grams measurements.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted start to whisk constantly. First the butter will begin to foam, then after a couple of minutes it will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Turn off the heat as soon as the solids turn brown and the butter gives off a nutty aroma. Pour into a glass mixing bowl to prevent burning.
- Add the milk, brown sugar and white sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Scoop the cookie dough (about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place a few inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and the center is set.
- Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy!
The Science Behind the Recipe – Why it Works!
1. Brown the Butter
The first secret ingredient is brown butter. Sometimes gluten-free cookies can lack a depth of flavor. Brown butter gives these cookies a delectable nutty, toasty almost caramelized flavor that you can’t get from anything else.
If you’ve never browned butter before this is a great tutorial. It’s easier than it sounds!
2. Add a Tablespoon of Milk
The next trick for this gluten-free cookie recipe is to add a tablespoon of milk. This helps to compensate for the liquid that evaporates from the butter during the browning process. It also helps the cookies get a golden color and prevents grittiness.
Gluten-free flour needs a little extra liquid for best results so you don’t have chalky cookies.
3. Use a High-Quality Gluten-Free Flour
I wanted to keep this recipe simple with easy-to-find ingredients. I like to use a high quality gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in this recipe. This blend has a mixture of brown rice flour, white rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch. Other high-quality brands of gluten-free flour will work, just be sure to use a blend that contains xanthan gum.
4. Add Almond Flour
I like using a little almond flour because it is non-gritty and helps the cookies get that golden color and chewy texture. It’s my secret ingredient in many baked goods!
If you’re allergic to nuts you can leave out the almond flour and substitute more gluten-free all purpose flour.
5. Use Brown Sugar
Using mostly brown sugar instead of mostly white sugar also gives these cookies delicious flavor and chew. A splash of vanilla extract is also key!
This recipe works with any kind of chocolate chip you like. I usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips but milk chocolate chips are also amazing!
6. Give the Dough a Rest
After you mix the dough altogether it’s important to give it a 30-minute rest at room temperature. This gives the gluten-free flour time to hydrate and really makes a difference. It’s key for non-gritty gluten-free cookies!
Luckily just a room temperature 30-minute rest will do and no overnight-in-the-fridge chill is needed. So you can still have chocolate chip cookies shortly after a craving strikes!
Storage/Freezer Instructions
- TO STORE: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- TO FREEZE: I love to make a double batch of this gluten free cookie dough to freeze for later! Just scoop the dough into balls then place the them in a ziplock bag or freezer container to freeze. You can bake the cookie dough balls straight from the freezer – simply add 2-3 minutes onto the bake time. Just pop onto a baking sheet and bake – no thawing needed!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! To make these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies dairy-free you can use melted vegan butter in place of the brown butter. No need to brown the vegan butter (it won’t work!). You can also replace the milk with almond milk.
Yes! To make these cookies nut-free simply substitute the 1/4 cup almond flour with an additional 1/4 cup gluten-free baking flour.
Yes! This dough really only gets better as it sits. The flour absorbs more and the cookies take on a depth of flavor. If you’re letting this cookie dough sit more than 30 minutes, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Be sure the container is airtight so the cookies don’t dry out!
No. I don’t recommend using all almond flour in this recipe. Almond flour has very different properties than gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Check out this recipe for a great almond flour chocolate chip cookie!
In Summary…
- Brown butter: Gives these cookies a delectable nutty flavor
- A tablespoon of milk: Prevents grittiness and helps the cookies get golden
- 1/4 cup almond flour: For a golden brown color and yummy flavor (can use GF all-purpose flour in place of this if you have a nut allergy)
- 30 minute rest: Gives the flour time to hydrate and prevents grittiness
- A sprinkle of sea salt: Optional, but delicious for gourmet bakery-style cookies!
MORE GLUTEN-FREE COOKIE RECIPES
There you have it! I hope all the tips and tricks in this post have set you up for success making gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. If you try this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I hope you love the cookies as much as my family and I do!
The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter
- 1 tablespoon milk or almond milk
- 3/4 cup (160g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups (200g) gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1/4 cup (25g) almond flour finely ground
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
- Sea salt for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted start to whisk constantly. First the butter will begin to foam, then after a couple of minutes it will begin to brown on the bottom of the saucepan. Turn off the heat as soon as the solids turn brown and the butter gives off a nutty aroma. Pour into a glass mixing bowl to prevent burning.
- Add the milk, brown sugar and white sugar. Whisk to combine. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Using a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl and let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350F. Scoop the cookie dough (about 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place a few inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and the center is set.
- Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy!
We’ve loved this recipe for a few years now. I made this alongside 6 other recipes. Because I wanted to see which ones my family loved best and this recipe beat out all of the others… even with me accidentally adding too much milk so they spread a bit this time. It’s more than a keeper. Which other cookies are your favorites on the site?
The best gluten free cookies I’ve ever had. I receive nothing but compliments when I make them, and the recipe couldn’t be easier to follow. Thank you!
I’m so glad the cookies turned out for you!
Could I swap the almost flour for oat flour? Did you change the recipe?
I swore there was another recipe with oat flour and one egg and one egg yolk.
No this recipe hasn’t changed since I published it originally in 2018! I will be sharing an oat flour chocolate chip cookie next month so be on the lookout for that 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly except I reduced the brown sugar by 1/4 cup. Eating a test cookie now and they are definitely sweet enough with the reduction in sugar. Crispy and a bit cake like. Good flavor.
I guess I can stop looking for a gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipe because this is the best! I made these cookies for some friends and they were amazing. Even though I typically eat cookies with gluten, I’ll smash a bunch of these any day. I received compliments today from everyone who ate them. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Happy your friends liked them too 🙂
My husband said I should become a GF baker! Hands down the best gluten-free cookies I’ve ever eaten. I love the flavor achieved by browning the butter—I may do this with all of my cookies in the future. I went (almost) by the recipe and used Namaste GF 1:1 substitute for wheat flour (it’s what Costco had). Before I saw the part about the milk making up for the butter shrinkage, I added enough butter to bring the quantity to 1/2 cup (~1 1/2 tablespoons), let it melt in the brown butter, then added the milk. So glad to have found this recipe. Thank you!
I’m so glad you like the recipe! Thanks for the comment 🙂
5 stars from my 6yo son! He love these wonderful cookies!
He just added they are the best of the world
I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed the cookies! Thanks for the comment 🙂
These are amazing! Past the tested with my picky non- GF family ( I had to hide so not to share )
Definitely keeping this recipe.!
Sometimes I hide these cookies too – ha! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Do you flatten the dough or will they spread out? Ty
They will spread! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe MANY times. I’m actually known for these cookies now, and friends request them all of the time! My last roommate had a gluten free diet, but I have no need for gluten free recipes and I’m out of gf flour. So, for my funny question – is this recipe as good if you use regular flour?
Ha! I actually haven’t tried these with regular flour so I couldn’t say. I’m so glad you like them though 🙂
What can l use instead of almond flour for the chocolate chip cookies
You can use more gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the almond flour!
Hi Erin! Thank you for the recipe! I’m thinking of making a big batch of dough and freezing some to bake another day. Would you expect the GF flour to freeze/defrost any differently than regular flour? Thanks!
That sounds like a great idea! I freeze these dough balls all the time. They’re delicious baked straight from frozen! Nothing would be different from freezing regular cookie dough. I hope this helps!
The best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever tasted!!! The gluten free component is completely hidden. Highly recommend you try this easy recipe.
Just made these for the 1st time and added butterfinger bits…. they’re delicious. I used Miyokos df butter (never browned butter before, so I hope I did it somewhat right). As others, mine spread out too, but I still think they’re perfect… I used Bob’s 1:1 gf flour. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be using it again for sure.
Butterfinger bits sounds delicious! Miyokos dairy-free butter has a lot of coconut oil in it so I would expect the cookies would spread more with that. You don’t need to brown dairy-free butter, it won’t work – but you can definitely use it melted! I’m glad overall it turned out for you 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever written a recipe review. These are AMAZING. Perfect really. I didn’t have almond flour this time but it worked amazingly just substituting more flour. They are one of the absolute best chocolate cookies I’ve ever had, let alone gluten-free. Thank you so much!!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂
These are the best chocolate chip cookies we have ever eaten! Wow! They are amazing!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These are incredible!!! Question: can you make the dough ahead and refrigerate over night and use it the next day?
Thanks!!
Yes absolutely! The dough only gets better as it sits!
Do you think it makes any difference if you use dark or light brown sugar?
Either one will work great! Dark brown sugar will lend a little bit more color and a richer flavor.
Have you ever used this gf recipe with monkfruit or xylitol sugar substitutes?
I haven’t tried this myself, but I know many commenters have tried the recipe with sugar substitutes. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
These sound wonderful- would coconut sugar work in this recipe? Thank you